Ludibrium
by Meixlin
Summary: [oneshot][sokai] They soon found themselves tangled in a mess of arrows. The battle raged on. Left foot, right foot, left foot, left foot, jump, jump, jump, right foot... a snag, a slip, a grunt, and a thud. It was all over.


x x. _Ludi _**: brium  
**o n e s h o t / s o k a i  
X3  
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****A/N: **um first one shot i've done XP. randomly got inspired by ddr!  
**Disclaimer: **i don't own GameStop, DDR, or Kingdom Hearts  
**Thanks** to Harmonize for spotting the typo!  
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_**Once again, **_the annual DDR party reared its ugly head into Kairi's life. Selphie always held these parties in celebration of school's end. Everyone who was anyone was there. Kairi of course was a someone, but she refused to go because she never saw the point to games. It got to the point to where every time she was invited, she'd muster up some bogus excuse to be pardoned by one of her best friends. The brunette would always smile and follow up with an _i completely understand_. This time around; however, she couldn't refuse. Selphie had been going through some hard times lately and going to the party would cheer her up more than ever.

The bells rang, the children sang, oh the joys of summer vacation. The red head waited a few moments to leave the classroom in fear of being trampled by rampaging students. Summer was awesome but not awesome enough to _die_ for. She made plans right after to head over to GameStop and pick up a dance pad. After all, what's DDR without a dance pad?

There it stood, in all it's gaming glory. GameStop, home of all your video game dreams.

_**Ching-a-ling!**_ Ahh the sound of big business. An aroma of new plastic and newly printed game guides filled Kairi's lungs. Crimson signs signifying a buy one get one free sale hung from the water stained ceilings. Suddenly a feeling of complete and utter confusion rushed over the poor girl. Everything seemed to be written in some strange language. Even the guy at the counter was speaking gibberish to another customer. _Pwnage_? _Newbs_? _1337_? Where was the humanity?

"Oh, hi! Welcome to GameStop! Can I help you with something?" English! Yes! The man speaks English!

"Um... Where are your dance pads?"

"On the table over there." His hand pointed to a fold up table surrounded by a maze of baskets. Towering cardboard models were strewn in the aisles of shelves. Kairi made her way through and picked up the closest box, paid for it, and went off to prepare for the party.

_**6pm,**_ just enough time to make the walk there. The weather was getting warmer and warmer with the passing days. At sunset, time didn't seem to move. Destiny Islands was stuck in a split second of perfection. Selphie's house was just around the corner now. The driveway was already at full capacity as was the rest of the street. Music was already blasting through every crack in the house. By now, the sun blushed one last time before disappearing completely behind the navy curtains. Two simple knocks, five seconds later, she was finally in. The plasma screen in the middle of the living room danced with technicolor. Arrows flashed to the beat of the music and mesmerized bodies followed the moves.

"Hey! You're just in time!" Selphie gave her long time friend a hug. "Everyone's here! Mmkay people let's get dancing! Don't be shy, we can always put it on beginner! C'mon, Kairi, there's food in the kitchen and you can leave your mat here... and oh geez hang on a sec. I think someone broke something. Hey, hey, hey! People, the master bedroom is off limits!"

The brunette ran off into the left corridor, leaving Kairi to fend for herself. Most of the people standing around looked familiar enough anyways. Just as she was about to set her mat down, Namine and Olette came running in her direction. Hayner found himself obligated to join in on the girl talk. He usually just stood there and nodded his head, grinning like a hyena.

"Hey, Kai! How'd your last day of school go?" Olette smiled.

"It was okay. I almost got trampled, but hey who didn't?" Kairi returned the emotion.

"Selphie's been happier lately, although, sometimes I think that girl does too much for her own good. Like she's just keeping herself busy so that she won't have to mope around being depressed about things." Namine put on a worried look and Hayner attempted to mock her feelings. The caliber of his frown, however, was no match for the looks he gained afterwards. They all burst out into laughter. A moment of silence pursued then the music kicked up beat.

"So, when are Selphie's parents coming home anyway? They've been gone a week tops?"

"They'll be home soon... or so she says. It's been a full month already, meaning to say that this isn't going to end happily ever after."

"But it's good you came Kai. The moment you walked in she finally put on her happy face and-"

"Are you ladies going to just talk the night away?"

Hayner began tapping his foot impatiently. His arms took a position across his chest. The look he sported reminded the three of their old principal. Another wave of laughter ensued. Olette made her way to the dance floor and motioned to the two girls. Kairi made a distressed grunt while Namine smiled and grabbed her companion's hand. As they made their appearance, the crowd erupted in whoops and cheers. If Kairi had a marker, she could put a name on every head... every head except one. Cinnamon gravity-defying hair, deep beryl eyes unmatched by any other, who was this mystery man? He smiled at the sight of the girls' brave attempt. Riku pushed his way through the group of people and plopped down on the couch next to Namine. Roxas, who was sitting next to him, spewed in jealousy. The older male had obviously sat there to tick him off.

_**Are you ready?**_ The screen provoked Kairi's already pounding heart. All those times she had spoken with her friends, she always lied about her DDR skills. This moment was probably a punishment for lying. It was bad enough that Olette had put it on heavy. Emerald eyes met a pair of icy cerulean as the music started. A death stare... no, maybe just a friendly, unspoken '_good luck_'. Kairi needed more than a good luck. Her reputation was about to take a major dive.

_**Here we go! **_Music blasted from the surrounding speakers, cheers bounced from one end of the room to the next, it was party central in the heart of the islands. Flashing arrows began to brainwash everyone. All eyes were glued to the screen, and in a moment of pure panic, Kairi began to dance. She closed her eyes for a moment in fear. '_Oh god, Kairi you idiot. Why didn't you just tell the truth?_' To her surprise; however, she was actually doing... perfect... just like the spectacular sunset her eyes had enjoyed a few moments ago. _'I'm doing... good? No wait... I'm doing really good! I'm beating Olette!_' The last jump and finished! The results weren't as morally degrading as Kairi thought. The roulette spun and spun until it ended on a light blue _B_.

"Good job, Kai! Haha, I didn't know you were so good at this!" Olette blushed a little at her score. _C _wasn't that bad.

"Heh, thanks!"

"Oh, Haaaayynnnerrrr!" Olette's voice swooned. She smiled sweetly and pulled her befuddled friend onto the mat. "You insisted that we _must _dance. Why don't you take a spin at it?"

"Uh, wait, Olette!"

"Too late! Kai, hurry before he gets away!"

Once again, the red head let her feet do the thinking. All the songs were anything but familiar so she put it on random, but forgot to lower the level. It wouldn't be that hard anyway. Her new found mad skills would pull her through. The same seductive sequence played over. Hayner squinted at the screen. For once Kairi wasn't alone. She wasn't the _only _confused one in the room. Relief overcame her, but her body had a mind of its own. Her opponent was less fortunate at the hands of her skills and was slaughtered on the dance floor, leaving his dignity in a pile of mush. Victim after victim took his place on the mat, and each one met the same fate. The most humorous sight was watching Riku try his utmost best. His stiff joints wouldn't allow his body to imitate the fluid motions. After half the people in the room had been morally degraded, the mystery man took his place on the mat. What was it about him that made Kairi irk so badly?

"Do you mind if I pick the song?" He seemed so comfortable in the situation.

"Sure, be my guest!"

_**A fast-paced melody**_ began to scream from the speakers. Arrows of every direction thinkable raced across the screen, Kairi was barely able to keep up. On the contrary, her challenger was extremely agile and kept getting perfects despite his oversized feet. Soon what seemed to be a friendly competition quickly spun into an all out war. The sense of ludibrium that they had started out with turned into nothing less than a rivalry. The songs seemed to choose themselves and time sped by. The score was tied and only one song left to finish it off. Both of the competitors were worn out by then. Finally, they mustered what strength they had left in them and danced to the beat. It all started out slowly and began to pick up speed. They soon found themselves tangled in a mess of arrows. The battle raged on. Left foot, right foot, left foot, left foot, jump, jump, jump, right foot... a snag, a slip, a grunt, and a thud.

_**It was all over.**_

Finally the scores were in. A heartbreaking _E_ proved useless against the _B_ it challenged. Kairi parted her auburn tresses and looked the boy in the face. A simple smile spread across her face and she offered a hand. He smiled back and patted one of his copper spikes. His gloved hand outstretched to help her up. The crowd clapped and cheered, but the moment only lasted until two more people stepped up to the plate. Then it was only a mere memory.

Kairi followed the stranger into the kitchen to get something nice and cold to drink. There was something awfully familiar about him. The curves of his face, his deep, azure eyes, his hair that put all the laws of physics to shame, all of it was a blurred mess in her mind. Who was this boy? Why did Kairi feel like she _knew_ him? It was like he was a close friend without a name. A long lost companion forgotten in the rush of life. Then it all came crashing down. Her head began to throb. She grabbed hold of the counter to keep her balance. The stranger began to speak, but Kairi had to put most of her effort in trying to keep standing than to listen in.

"Y'know, it's been a while hasn't it? Wasn't even expecting you to be here."

"Yeah... yeah..."

"It's good to see you all again."

"Yeah... wait... w-what?" The ceiling felt like it was falling on her head. Thoughts raced through her mind. Memories she had forgotten, images of that spiky haired boy, it all came running past. Her mind screamed for answers aimed at no one in particular. A pleading request for maybe the walls to answer.

"Kairi, you okay?"

"W-who are y-you? Why d-do you know m-my name?"

"Aww c'mon, Kairi, quit joking around. Don't tell me you already forgot!"

"Huh?" Another surge of pain came crushing down on her frail body. A sick feeling washed over her face as she vaguely remembered a forgotten promise. The ground looked inviting so her body took the invitation. Everything went dark and his voice sounded like it was moving further and further away.

"S-s-s-o...So-ra?"

_**She found herself in her room,**_lying on her bed. '_A dream? It was all a dream?_' Kairi got up and looked out the window. Her pale silhouette stood against the setting sun. It was... perfect, like she had dreamed. Was it a dream? It felt so real. '_I wonder... If he ever got the letter... Starts with an 'S'. Riku... and So-ra... Sora... Sora!_' The shore beckoned her wake.

_little _did **she** k n o w  
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**everything was about to **c h a n g e****  
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**Closing Notes: **ok i know this was lame! i tried, i really did. i didn't know how to end it exactly so um yes. i hope it wasn't _that _boring. so give me some feedback on my work? thnx it's very much appreciated! XD


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